US Introduces New Rules for Green Card Lottery Applications

Applicants to the United States Diversity Visa (DV) lottery must now provide a valid, unexpired passport when submitting their applications, the Department of State announced on 10 March.

The new requirement, effective 30 days after the publication of the final rule, is designed to reduce fraudulent entries. Previous lotteries experienced significant misuse, with nearly one in five applications rejected due to false identity documentation. The application fee is set at Ksh129.

This passport mandate is a reinstatement of a rule first introduced in 2019 but overturned by a federal court in 2022. Its return represents a renewed effort by authorities to strengthen oversight of the programme, which annually offers thousands of foreign nationals the chance to obtain permanent residency in the United States.

The Department of State has not confirmed when the next application window will open. It indicated that the entry period for DV-2027 could be delayed to give applicants time to secure passports before registration resumes. The updated application form will also revise terminology, changing “gender” to “sex” and “age” to “date of birth.”

The lottery was suspended in December 2025 following a shooting at Brown University that resulted in two student deaths. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, acting under President Donald Trump’s direction, ordered the pause, citing security concerns.

The decision highlights the political sensitivity of US immigration policy. While the DV lottery aims to promote diversity among immigrants, it has faced criticism over its susceptibility to fraud. The reintroduction of stricter rules seeks to preserve the integrity of the programme, though it may delay opportunities for applicants worldwide.